GFI intern Julianne Quimby talks about CRAFT, THE TENANTS and why there’s more to Brazil than samba and sandy beaches

Julianne in Copacabana

After returning from a year spent studying language and culture abroad in Brazil, I was frequently asked a question I found surprisingly challenging: “How was your trip?” Brazil is a diverse country characterized by complex intersections of history, politics, and religion and therefore not easily summarized. In addition, I found my descriptions clashed with the misconceptions of Brazil listeners already held. Americans—and global audiences in general—only have access to Brazilian culture through select avenues. Sensationalized news stories reporting on Rio’s violent crime, “The Girl from Ipanema,” national soccer victories, and the occasional film that’s lucky enough to make it to our shores leave Americans with a clichéd and misinformed perception of what Brazilian society is actually like. My brief experience in Brazil was enough to make it painfully obvious that Americans’ experiences with Brazilian culture through popular music and film aren’t painting a satisfactory picture of the country and its people.

However, while working at GFI, I’ve had the opportunity to watch CRAFT and THE TENANTS, two Brazilian productions from the Global Lens film series (2012 and 2011, respectively). Not only do these films display original storylines and distinctive cinematographic styles (setting them apart from other independent